Land Recording Fees to Change

Land Recording Fees to Change to “Flat Fee” for all Documents

Beginning October 1, 2016, recording fees for all documents recorded in the Register of Deeds office will be “flat fee” of $30 per document. Currently, the cost of recording documents is based upon a $14 charge for the initial page, and $3 for every subsequent page.

This legislative change was supported by the Michigan Association of Registers of Deeds and the Michigan Land Title Association, in response to new consumer protection regulations instituted by the federal government in late 2015. The new regulations create a mandatory extension of the closing date for properties if the closing documents are rejected by the Register of Deeds Office, which delays the closing process for consumers. Under the current cost structure, one of the most common reasons for rejection of a document is inaccurate payment due to miscalculation of the number of pages contained in a document. The Register of Deeds is required to return the documents until the proper fees are met.

“With new guidelines instituted by the federal government, it became clear that creating a flat fee for all documents would be in the best interest of our homeowners and all of the entities that do business with the Register of Deeds Office,” said County Clerk/Register Justin Roebuck. “Having a predictable flat fee will create a more smooth land title closing process by assuring that the right payments are submitted the first time. This only stands to benefit our residents, businesses and the economy as a whole.”

The $30 flat fee amount is based upon a statewide average of the fees currently assessed to record documents under the existing “per page” fee structure.